CHAPTER 73 - Try Harder

The weeks that came, I poured myself into tending to my daughter and ghostwriting. Jade continued to grow so much surprising I and Jayden. Jayden had learnt to give me space and I kind of liked it.

One sunny afternoon, I sat on a table in the corner of the room, stealing glances at Jade who was playing on the mat with a maid to make sure she was okay while working on my laptop. The hum of my laptop and Jade's continuous giggle filled the nursery as I typed furiously, my fingers moving almost as fast as my thoughts. Writing had become my refuge, a small piece of myself that I was finally reclaiming. My stories weren’t just an escape, they were a reminder of the dreams I had once held dear, the ambitions I had almost let slip through my fingers.

Jade’s soft babbling pulled me from my focus, and I looked down to see her on the floor, her tiny body squirming with determination. She had been attempting to crawl for days now, her small fists clenching and unclenching as she tried to propel herself forward.

“Come on, sweetheart,” I cooed, setting my laptop aside and crouching in front of her. “You can do it.”

Her face scrunched up in concentration, her little legs pushing against the soft carpet. Then, as if something clicked, she moved forward, wobbly but steady, toward her favorite stuffed bunny.

“Oh my gosh, Jade! You’re crawling!” My voice was filled with pure joy as I clapped my hands, watching her tiny frame inch closer and closer to her goal. She giggled, clearly pleased with herself, and I couldn’t help but laugh along with her.

Moments like this reminded me why everything I was doing, every sacrifice I was making,was worth it. Jade was my light, my reason to keep going even when the world felt impossibly heavy. She reminded me of my mum and I wiped a tear from my cheek.

Days turned into weeks, and Jade’s crawling soon evolved into something more daring. One evening, as she gripped the edge of the coffee table, she let go and took her first unsteady step.

I froze, my heart in my throat as she teetered forward. “You’re walking, baby girl!” I exclaimed, rushing to catch her before she fell. She laughed, her tiny hands reaching for my face, and I felt a surge of pride so overwhelming it brought tears to my eyes.

But as much as I cherished these milestones, there was a bittersweetness to them. Jayden wasn’t there to witness any of it. I didn’t make an effort to tell him, either. After all, what right did he have to share in these moments when he had spent so much time pushing us away?

It wasn’t long before he noticed, though. One evening, as I played with Jade on the living room floor, he walked in and froze, his eyes widening as he watched her toddle across the room.

“She’s walking?” he asked, his tone a mixture of awe and disbelief.

“Has been for a while now,” I replied coolly, not bothering to look up.

His jaw tightened. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

I shrugged. “You’d have known if you were around more often.”

“That’s not fair, Daphne,” he said, his voice tinged with frustration.

“Fair?” I repeated, finally meeting his gaze. “You think any of this has been fair to me? To her? You’re lucky she even knows who you are.”

The words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, he looked as if he wanted to argue. But instead, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m trying, Daphne. I really am.”

“Try harder,” I said simply, turning my attention back to Jade.

A few days later, Jade’s first word shattered the fragile peace between us.

“Dada!” she squealed, her little voice filled with excitement as she toddled toward Jayden.

He froze, his eyes wide with shock and something that almost looked like joy. “Did she just…?”

“Yeah,” I said bitterly, forcing a smile. “Her first word is ‘dad.’ Congratulations.”

He crouched down, scooping her up and spinning her around, his laughter filling the room. Jade giggled, clearly delighted, and I watched them with a mixture of happiness for her and resentment for myself.

I should have been happy, but all I could think about was how unfair it felt. I was the one who spent every waking moment with her, who stayed up all night when she was sick, who cheered her on as she learned to crawl and walk. And yet, her first word was for him. How selfish, hmph! like father like daughter.

Later that evening, as I tucked Jade into bed, Jayden approached me with an unexpected request.

“There’s a conference next week,” he began hesitantly, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. “It’s to officially mark my inheritance and my position in the company. I’d like you and Jade to come with me.”

I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms. “Why?”

“It’s important,” he said simply. “And I think it would mean a lot to my grandfather if you were there.”

I stared at him, searching his face for some hidden motive. “You mean it would mean a lot to you if we were there,” I said finally.

He didn’t deny it. “Just think about it,” he said quietly before walking away.

“Oh well, okay. But I'm coming so he gets to see his great granddaughter.” I replied.

" Soot yourself.” He said.

" I'll send a stylist over , it's going to be on a Saturday of next week.” He said shutting the door behind him.

“Ask the stylist to come in the morning for the sake of Jade, it's always a war getting her dressed." I shouted after him.

*On the day of the conference.

True to his words, a stylist came in the morning. It was a struggle before Jade allowed us to dress her. We'd dress her when she's sleeping and once she's awake we'd let her be. Jayden drove us to where the conference was to be held.

The conference was held in a grand hall, the air buzzing with energy as reporters and executives mingled. Jayden stood tall beside me, his usual confidence tinged with a rare nervousness. I held Jade close, her tiny hand clutching the fabric of my dress as her wide eyes took in the bustling crowd.

The event proceeded smoothly, with speeches and applause echoing through the room. When the moment finally came, the room fell silent as the announcer stepped forward.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to officially present the heir to Horton Enterprises, Mr. Jayden Horton!”

The applause was deafening as Jayden stepped forward to accept the recognition. But just as the noise began to die down, a voice cut through the crowd.

“This isn’t fair!”

All eyes turned to the source of the outburst—Ethan Horton, Jayden’s cousin. His face was twisted with anger as he stormed toward the stage.

“You don’t deserve this!” Ethan shouted, his gaze darting between Jayden and me before settling on Jade.

The world seemed to slow as he lunged forward, his hand reaching out toward Jade.

My heart stopped, my grip tightening around her as I took a step back.